Go through the door of room 5141 and you will see a class of 14 students who are dedicated to learning. The group is led by Lisa Oglesby, one of the most genuine teachers  at North Atlanta. She has been teaching special education at our school for 12 years and has been with Atlanta Public Schools for 20 years. Before she started working at North Atlanta, Oglesby worked at Mays and Harper-Archer high schools. She started her teaching career after earning her bachelor’s and master’s degrees at the University of West Georgia in Carrollton. She also earned a specialist degree at North Central University in Prescott Valley, Arizona.

Outside of school, Oglesby enjoys visiting her family farm in Alabama, which is in a rural spot one hour from Tuscaloosa. “Our farm is in the middle of 500 acres in the middle of nowhere, so it’s a great place to get away from the business of the city,” she said. “Alabama is home, but Atlanta is just where I sleep at night.”

Oglesby said she loves taking on do-it-yourself projects at her farm, tasks that range from building barns, putting down hardwoods and painting walls. “My brother is my best friend and we love to do outdoorsy things together like hiking and kayaking,” she said.

Another interesting aspect of her life is her involvement in power-lifting. She has kept this weight-training habit up for more than 20 years. When she’s on her farm, she’s spends two hours each weekday in her workout room keeping up a rigorous exercise regimen.

Where school life is concerned, Oglesby said her lifelong teaching vocation has given her meaning in ways quite distinct from farm life. “My favorite part of teaching is my students. The interaction I get to have with them is truly rewarding,” she said.

While interactions with students give her great joy, Oglesby said that meeting the avalanche of demanding paperwork requirements makes teaching a more challenging profession. Thankfully, she doesn’t work alone in her classroom and is assisted by para-pros. “The people I work with are awesome. Mrs. Bridgette Bryant and I have worked together for 19 years so we have an excellent working relationship, but the entire department works together to meet the needs of the students.”

Oglesby will continue to spread her happiness to students like Ricky Christian. The senior shares the enthusiasm that so many of her students have for her. When he sees his teacher, he spontaneously exclaims: “I love you Ms. O!”